30th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration
This celebration is a significant and symbolic event in the East Stroudsburg Community as it is the largest program in the area honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Through the years, the program has expanded in size unifying over 400 people from the community on MLK’s Day of Observance.
The program itself has transformed to include components such as the MLK Award, the Wayne & Julianna V. Bolt Art Contest in which students from all high schools within Monroe County are encouraged to participate and all entries will be displayed at the event, a keynote speaker, musical performances, the Boddie Scholarship Award, and ESU’s official Day of Service in honor Dr. King.
Since its inception, 64 Mary Gertrude Smith Boddie Scholarships have been awarded to ESU students and a total of 79 MLK community and university awards have been presented.
This is will be an event you don’t want to miss!
This year's celebration will be held Monday, January 18, 2027 at 8 a.m. This year’s breakfast will be held at University Center Ball Room, 200 Prospect Street, East Stroudsburg. The theme of this year’s breakfast is “The time is always right to do what is right.”
Raymond Hamlin ’86, Esq.
Raymond Hamlin ’86 graduated from ESU after being recruited to play basketball. A native of Long Branch, N.J., he continued his education at Rutgers Law School in Newark, N.J. After attending law school, Ray became an associate at the law firm of Ashley & Charles in Newark.
In 1995, Ray became one of the founding partners of the Law Firm of Hunt, Hamlin, and Ridley. He has spent the vast majority of his career as a trial lawyer, handling cases in both State and Federal Courts. He has tried complex criminal and civil cases, focusing much of his civil practice to civil rights cases, where he has had a great deal of success in obtaining six- and seven-figure jury verdicts and settlements on behalf of his clients. Ray’s legal acumen also gained him an invitation to attend Oxford University, in Oxford, England, as a panelist in the area of human rights. He has successfully argued before the United States Third Circuit Court of Appeals and most recently successfully argued a case before the New Jersey Supreme Court, obtaining a ruling in favor of his client regarding the illegal search and seizure of a motor vehicle.
A highlight of his legal career has been his representation of individuals in a number of high-profile cases, including former talk show host and radio DJ Wendy Williams as well as representing the family of civil rights leader, Malcolm X, in various intellectual property matters, including negotiating the audiobook of the Autobiography of Malcolm that is available on Audible.com. He is also part of the litigation team along with Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump, in a lawsuit against the City of New York, the New York Police Department and the federal government for their alleged role in Malcolm X’s assassination.
Ray has been recognized for his professional and athletic achievements throughout his career. He was inducted into the Long Branch High School Hall of Fame in recognition of his accomplishments as a star point guard and was named the 1999 recipient of ESU’s Outstanding Young Alumni Award. He has also been honored by various community organizations for his work in the legal field. He is also a proud member of the Alpha Eta Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., the National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys, and previously served on the New Jersey Supreme Court Ethics Committee.
In 2024, Ray established the Ray Hamlin ’86 Men’s Basketball Annual Scholarship to assist members of the ESU men’s basketball team, reflecting his continued commitment to supporting student-athletes and giving back to the university community.
Ray has been married to his wife, Zoraya, for more than 35 years. Together, they have two adult children, Raymond and Asia. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family, playing golf (including his quest to play in all 50 states) and creating music in his home recording studio. Recently Ray released an album under the artist name RayLH. The title of the album is called "Who Am I". Ray wrote, produced, arranged and performs all of the tracks on the album which can be found on all streaming sites including Apple Music, Spotify, Youtube Music, Soundcloud, and all other streaming sites. You can also follow him on Instagram @raylh_music.
Assistance or Special Accommodations
For assistance or special accommodations, please contact Lyesha Fleming, lfleming@esu.edu or (570) 422-3896. Accommodations may include, but are not limited to, services for physical, cognitive, visual or auditory assistance.
Artist Reception
Join us for an artist reception to view the work of the Julianna V. Bolt Art Content Participants.
Monday, January 18, 2027
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Phyllis and Jerry Rubin Art Gallery
University Center, Prospect Street, East Stroudsburg, PA.
